The present invention relates to a jewelry setting in which only one prong of the setting touches the crown of a cut gem stone having a crown and a pavilion.
There are known many different ways to set a gem stone so that the stone is secured and may be worn as jewelry. For example, a bezel setting utilizes a rim made of precious metal or other material that completely encircles the crown of the stone to hold the stone in place. A channel setting secures a row of stones through two parallel rims, each of which touches the crown of each stone.
Another common type of setting utilizes prongs of precious metal or other material to secure the stone. Prong settings usually have four or six prongs, each of which grips the crown of the stone and is visible when looking directly at the crown. A setting with fewer prongs will hold a stone less securely than one with more prongs. Settings with only two prongs exist, but are generally regarded as unsafe and are usually used only for smaller stones.
When a prong setting is used to secure a stone having a crown and a pavilion, it is desirable to minimize the number of prongs that grip the stone""s crown, so that the prongs detract from the appearance of the stone as little as possible. There previously has not been known a prong setting for securing a stone having a crown and a pavilion in which only one prong grips the stone""s crown and that single prong is all that is visible when viewing the stone directly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a jewelry setting for a gem stone that has a crown and a pavilion whereby only a single prong grips the crown of the stone.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a jewelry setting whereby only a single prong is visible when the stone is viewed directly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a jewelry setting that has only one prong that grips the crown of a stone but does not protrude onto the table of the stone.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a jewelry setting that will securely hold a stone while minimally interfering with the appearance of the stone when viewed from above or from the side.
The present invention contemplates a jewelry setting that has an arm from which extend three distinct components, each of which serve to secure a stone that is set in the setting. A crown prong extends from the top of the arm to securely grip the crown of the stone. A pavilion prong extends from the bottom of the arm to securely grip the culet of the stone. A girdle box extends from the arm at a point between the crown prong and the pavilion prong and encircles the pavilion of the stone at a point below the girdle of the stone. The girdle box may have a number of bearings on its interior face to prevent the set stone from slipping in the setting.